Vicente to Manage; Zinter Returns as Hitting Coach
Arizona has also named Erik Sabel as Rawhide Pitching Coach, while Alan Zinter will return for a second season in Visalia as Hitting Coach. Jason Mitchell will be the team's Strength and Conditioning Coach, and Nick Oldroyd will return to the club as Trainer.
Audo Vicente, 30, will enter his 5th season of managing and his 6th in the organization. He has spent the last two seasons in Missoula, where he guided the Osprey to within one win of the Pioneer League title last season. He also managed the Diamondbacks' Dominican Summer League team in 2006 and 2007, and served as the team's infield instructor in 2005.
Vicente hit .261 in his playing career in the D-backs farm system. He ended his playing career in 1998.
"We are excited for the season and are preparing for a successful year," Vicente said. "Rawhide fans will see many of the top prospects in the Diamondbacks organization in Visalia in 2010."
Erik Sabel, meanwhile, makes the move to Visalia from low-A South Bend, where he spent the last two seasons. He was also the Pitching Coach for the Yakima Bears from 2005-2007. The 35-year-old was drafted by Arizona in 1996, and spent three seasons in Major League Baseball with the Diamondbacks and the Detroit Tigers from 1999-2002. He made 50 total appearances in the Major Leagues, and was a member of Arizona's 2001 World Series Championship team.
Besides his experience at the highest level of baseball, Sabel also spent eight additional seasons in the Minor Leagues, compiling over 250 total games pitched.
Allen Zinter will return to Visalia for his 2nd season in Tulare County and 3rd overall as a coach. Zinter, 41, jumped from Missoula to the Rawhide last year, and helped his charges maintain an even keel through a myriad of injuries and promotions. A veteran of professional baseball, Zinter spent parts of 15 seasons in the Minors, and made appearances in the Major Leagues in 2002 (Arizona) and 2004 (Houston). He played for seven different organizations and also spent a year in Japan with the Seibu Lions.
With 29 exciting new Diamondbacks draft picks from last year's bumper-crop working their way through the system, the Rawhide coaching staff figures to have plenty of talent to work with.
"We are looking forward to the 2010 season," said club President Tom Seidler. "It will be our fourth with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have been a great partner to the ballclub and the Visalia community."
April 8th cannot come soon enough.